Some things could never be done alone. Getting me on TV is one of them. If I imagine myself giving an acceptance speech, it would go something like this:

I would like to thank my publicist, Lori Bittenbender, for securing me a spot on Good Morning Texas on November 2. I would like to also thank my mother in law Carol for watching my youngest son Sterling overnight so that I could spend the night at a hotel right across the street from the TV studio in Victory Park. (Everyone who knows me well knows that I am terrible with directions, which doesn’t mix well with having to be over an hour’s drive from home early in the morning.)

A million thanks to my wonderful husband Eric for setting me up in the swanky W Hotel so I could relax the night before the interview. Thanks to the W Hotel staff , who bent over backwards to accommodate our every need, right down to a personalized letter showing their knowledge about the plot of my books along with a spa basket! Thanks to my girlfriend Liz for coming with me to the hotel, calming my nerves over dinner and chit chat, and helping me look presentable in the morning. Thanks to my sweet friend Shantell who couldn’t be there, but was there in her heart and mine.

Thanks to Hobby Lobby and Albertson’s for the display and food items. (Yes I am writing those purchases off on my taxes.) Thanks to Paige McCoy Smith for her graciousness and patience with me as I probably looked like a deer in the headlights right before my segment, but she gave me hugs and encouragement anyway. (I hope I didn’t let her down on camera.) Thanks to the warm and personable staff at WFAA.

Thanks to my web designer Minh Phan who took my desperate emails to heart and quickly purchased the site mistakenly mentioned on live TV and redirected traffic to my correct site within the hour. (The upside is that anyone with less than pure intentions may inadvertently be enlightened with US history lessons!)

A big thanks to all my friends and family who watched and cheered me on and believed in me and my dream of becoming an author. (Yes, Mom, I think I heard you and Dad clapping right through the screen.)

I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the warm welcome I received today at Wylie Preparatory Academy. (Especially after I arrived a half hour late looking like a wet rat. Apparently I should have allotted more than a two and a half hour drive in the rain from Saginaw to Wylie.)

The students of WPA were refreshingly courteous, bright, and attentive. The staff was very gracious. It was a joy to be able to share my books with them. I can barely wait to hear from my newest readers after they have met Tyler, Barney, and all the gang from Miss Trimble’s class!

If you ask your elementary school child what his or her favorite subject in school is, you may hear about science, reading, math, or even lunch or recess! A less likely answer is history. So many kids find the study of the past boring or of little use. Fortunately there are many ways you can use your child’s natural abilities and interests to make history fun. What better place to begin the adventure of American history than with Christopher Columbus this Columbus Day in October?

For the reading enthusiast:
If your child is particularly excited by reading and the language arts, you may want to begin by checking out some books about Columbus from the school or local library or visiting a bookstore. Children who enjoy reading are often open to suggestions about what to read. Your valuable input is still a wonderful motivator, even in the upper grades. The simple act of a parent showing interest and asking questions about what a child is reading will make it much more enjoyable than if it were a solitary endeavor.

For the budding writer:
Don’t let the fun end with reading. Expand on what has been read by writing. Let your budding writer keep a journal or write letters home about what it must have been like to be aboard the Santa Maria with Columbus. Have him or her write to Queen Isabella as Columbus trying to convince the queen to fund his voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. Encourage him or her to take a different viewpoint, such as that of a native encountering Columbus and his crew for the first time.

For the scientist:
Have a little scientist on your hands? Try investigating the theories of the scientific world during the late 15th century. Most educated people had already turned away from the “flat earth” theory by the time of Columbus. What made them change their minds? Direct kids who are drawn to the life sciences to discover along with the great explorer Columbus the plant and animal life of the New World.

For the math whiz:
Children who appreciate the logic and order of math may like calculating the distance from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean to the Bahamas. How many days did it take Columbus and his crew to reach their destination, and at how many miles per day? How does this compare to modern transportation?

For the artist:
A young artist may enjoy creating models the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria out of clay or paper mache. Let your child draw or paint scenes from all the locations explored by Columbus. Encourage creativity and utilize a variety of materials such as colored pencils, markers, and water colors.

For the musically inclined:
Musically inclined children may enjoy learning all the words to the song that begins “In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue….” Incorporate musical instruments along with the verse, or even create new words or a different tune to the familiar song.

For the spatial learner:
Many children learn best when they have a physical connection to what they are learning. A fun activity for these kids would be measuring out the dimensions of the ships of Columbus in an open area, perhaps outdoors. All three ships were less than 30 feet wide, and the smaller two were about 70-80 feet long. How would it feel to be inside such a vessel with many other people for two months? Add to the fun by packing a “sailor’s lunch” of biscuits, beans, and salty fish such as that actually eaten by Columbus and his crew.

For the creative kid:
If your child is the creative type, he or she may enjoy pretending to be a modern day Columbus. Imagine there is a distant land just waiting to be explored. Design a plan as to how you will get there. Who and what will you take on your journey? What kids of treasures will you discover when you arrive? Children who work best as a group may want to make a game out of recreating the fateful journey of Columbus and his men in 1492. Besides Captain Columbus of the Santa Maria, be sure to have two other children play the roles of the Pinzon brothers who headed up the Nina and Pinta.

For the kidpreneur:
Even kids who have their sights set on the business word someday can find some fun with the Columbus story. The great explorer traded bells, glass beads, and red caps to the natives for balls of cotton and parrots. Young entrepreneurs can set up a “swap shop” with other children in the neighborhood or class with items they agree are of equal value and are willing to trade.

History need not be boring. As parents it is our job to find ways to use our children’s natural abilities and inclinations to make learning every subject fun. American history can be an adventure for all children, those who love reading, math, science, the arts, and yes, even lunch and recess!

Twas the night before the official publication date of my books, and all through my house, not a creature was stirring, except, well….ME, of course. All four boys (even the 6 foot tall, 30 something one) and all four dogs are out cold. I, on the other hand, feel like the neighbors might be able to hear my heart beating. I have not felt this kind of intense anticipation since I was a child awaiting Christmas morning. Except this time I am not excited to open a gift; I am excited to see the creation I have poured my heart into opened by parents, and teachers, and most of all children. The date may be October first, but it sure feels like Christmas to me.